Collapsible boat anchor



May 2, 1961 .1. H. TRIECHMAN COLLAPSIBLE BOAT ANCHOR Filed Jan. 29, 1959 Fig. 2

IN VEN TOR.

Joseph H. Triecbman United S a es i" COLLAPSIBLE BOAT ANCHOR Joseph H. Triechman, 1319 Rice St., Elkhart, Ind.

Filed Jan. 29, 1959, Ser. No. 789,951

3 Claims. (Cl. 114-208) the unhandy bulky devices used for anchors at the )present time. By having a compact, lightweight anchor, :it is much easier to handle whether in use or not but :yet, the anchor is very efiective when used as such.

Another object of the invention is to provide an anchor which has a base block or body provided with flukes which are pivoted to the body and which are pivotally operable in slots. There are means, for instance a lock member movable to a position at which the inner extremities of the flukes are engaged, holding them in an operative position at which the boat anchor may function as such. However, upon motion of the locking member to an extended position with reference to the anchor body, the flukes are free to pivotally swing to a depressed position at which the anchor is much more easily iretrieved, coming up in a cleaned condition.

The anchor constructed in accordance with the fore {going brief description may be made considerably lighter in weight since weight alone is not relied on for anchoring. The flukes are pointed at their ends to grip the bottom, and when in the operative position they are extended outwardly from the longitudinal axis of the :anchor, providing considerable area against which water gpressure reacts when attempting to move the anchor Without releasing the flukes.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an anchor constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the anchor in l Figure l but showing the flukes in the released position.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the anchor in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the longitudinal axis of the anchor.

In the accompanying drawings there is an anchor to which anchor rope 12 is secured. The anchor rope is conventional and is attached to an operating rod 14 and at the outer end thereof. The inner end of the operating rod has a locking member 16 fixed thereto, as by welding, fabrication integral with the rod, bolting etc. Base block or anchor body 18 has four flukes 20, 22,

7 2 r r 24 and 26 pivoted thereto. Anchor body 18 has a central passage 28 through which rod 14 is slidable. Locking member 16 is disposed atthe lower part of anchor body 18 and is movable to an extended position (Figure 4) or a retracted or withdrawing position (Figure l) at which the locking member is located in a recess 30 in body 18, the recess functioning as a seat within which locking member 16 becomes nested.

Each fluke is preferably made of metal which is ap-" proximately V-shaped in cross-section. Further, each fluke has a pointed end 32 and a flattened end 34. The four flattened ends of the four flukes are mounted pivotally in four slots 36, 38, 40 and 42 (Figure 3) in anchor body 18. The slots are open-sided, one side of each slot opening through the outer surface of anchor body. 18,

recess 30 as the flukes are swung between the operative and the collapsed positions (Figures 1 and 2). V N

If the flukes are in the raised position (Figure 1)' and the locking member 16 is withdrawn into its recess 30, the flukes are locked in the operative position sincerthe inner ends of each' cannot swing through the part of recess 30 occupied by locking member 16. Accordingly, the flukes are locked in the operative position. However, if the locking member 16 is removed from recess 30, the flukes are free to be pivotally dropped to the extended position (Figure 2).

A weight 52, for instance a heavy sleeve, is secured to rod 14 by a fastened such as setscrew 54. The upper end of anchor body 18 is shaped in the form of a truncated cone, there is a similarly shaped seat 58 in the lower part of weight 52, the seat coming in engagement with the truncated conical part of anchor body 18 when the weight is lowered thereby establishing a downward limit for movement of the weight 52. The

action necessary to release the lock for the, flukes is a lifting of the anchor at least one inch from the anchoring position and then giving the anchor rope a sudden slack which will drop the anchor and cause the weight on the rod to take action. This causes rod 14 and member 16 to move downward and releases the flukes so that they are free to pivotally move to the extended position, after which the anchor may be lifted.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An anchor comprising the combination of a rod, a

locking member at the lower end of said rod, the upper Fiatented May 2, 196 1.

inner ends of said flukes contact said locking member and hold said flukes in a first operative position, and means on said rod for moving said locking member to a position at which said locking member separates from engagement with said inner extremities of said flukes thereby releasing said flukes for pivotal movement, said anchor body having a recess, said slots opening into said recess, said recess accommodating said locking member when said locking member is in engagement with said inner extremities of said flukes, said means for moving said locking member with respect to said anchor body comprising a weight attached to said rod for movement therewith whereby said anchor may be raised slightly by the upper end of said rod and dropped suddenly to cause, by inertia, downward movement of said rod and locking member thereby separating said locking member from engagement with said flukes.

2. In an anchor the combination of an anchor body having a passage extending therethrough, a plurality of flukes having inner extremities, said anchor body having slots within which said inner extremities of said flukes are mounted for pivotal movement, a locking member, a rod secured to said locking member and slidably movable through said passage in said anchor body to a position at which the inner extremities of said flukes contact said locking member and are prevented from pivotal movement by binding against said locking member, and said locking member being movable to a second position with reference to said anchor body by movement of said rod in said passage relative to said body at which said inner extremities of said flukes are free to pivotally move, a weight on said rod to propel said rod to the position at which said locking member is moved to said second position, said rod adapted to have an anchor rope attached thereto so that upon slack occurring in said line, said weight moves said rod and locking member to said second position.

3. In an anchor, the combination of an anchor body having a passage extending therethrough, a plurality of flukes having inner extremities, said anchor body having slots within which said 'inner extremities of said flukes are mounted for pivotal movement, a rod slidably movable through said passage, a locking member secured to said rod, a recess in said body into which said inner extremities project when said flukes are in extended positions, said locking member receivable in said recess for engagement with said extremities to lock said flukes in an extended position upon upward movement of said rod, a weight secured to said rod for movement therewith whereby the anchor may be raised slightly from the bottom of a body of water by the upper end of said rod and dropped suddenly to cause, by inertia, downward movement of the rod relative to said body unseating said locking member from said recess and separating said locking member from engagement with said flukes whereby the latter may be pivoted from their extended positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED'STATES PATENTS 1,782,449 Siebert Nov. 25, 1930 2,012,751 Buch et al Aug. 27, 1935 2,687,107 Evans Aug. 24, 1954 2,701,539 Morel Feb. 8, 1955 2,874,668 Bailey Feb. 24, 1959 

